Memories
by Kylie-Chan
Summary: When Tobi faces off against Kakashi, he begins to remember things.


A/N: Just toying around with a few ideas I had. A part of me likes the thought of Tobi being Obito, so that's pretty much the basic theme for this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto; it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

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Tobi couldn't remember much. He was almost positive that is name wasn't really Tobi, but it seemed familiar enough. He had no left eye; supposedly, he lost it in an accident; that's what they said, and he really had no choice but to believe them.

It had been almost fifteen years since he'd been rescued by some Rock ninjas; he could remember that much, at least. They said he'd been caught in a rock slide; he knew that that was true, even though he was unconscious when they were getting him out. He hadn't come to until, from what they said, a week later. They had had all the best medical ninjas working on him, because the right side of his body was almost completely crushed. The left side was messed up as well, though not nearly as bad, they told him. Tobi couldn't remember, so he had to take their word for it.

He was handed over to the Tsuchikage after he was completely healed. The man, who was rather old, had interrogated him, asking him many things that Tobi couldn't answer. What caused the rock slide? What was his name? What village was he from? Tobi's only answer to all of these had been that he couldn't remember. Tsuchikage-sama had told him that from then on, he would be a Rock ninja. His name would be Tobi. He had no choice but to accept it.

A family took him in not long after that; he was only about 13 or 14 at the time. They treated him like he was really their son, and though Tobi appreciated it, it somehow felt hollow. Unreal.

When Tobi turned 27, he left home. His 'parents' had died on a mission, so Tobi had no attachments to the village anymore. He hadn't made many friends growing up. Just a few boys here and there, whom he was never close to anyways. He knew the dangers of leaving his village; someone else had left a few years ago. Dei-something. In any case, he was considered a missing-nin, and the hunter-nin who went after him were ordered to kill him on sight. Tobi didn't want to live like that, but he would; he wasn't sure why, but staying at Iwagakure left a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling that it had something to do with what happened before the rockslide. If only he could remember…

He got himself a mask before he left. It had a black and white spiral design, and only one eye hole, for the right eye; it was just what he needed.

Not long after he'd gone, he met up with Zetsu-san. The man had terrified him at first, because of his appearance, but soon he got used to it. Zetsu-san had told him about the Akatsuki and their plans, and Tobi wanted to be a part of it. However, there were only 9 members in Akatsuki at a time, so Tobi couldn't officially become a member. He would have to make due with being Zetsu's subordinate, helping him scout out information. Tobi did so, although he got on the other Akatsuki member's nerves; mostly Deidara's. He asked too many questions, or he talked too much, or he was just being annoying.

One time, when Zetsu-san was scolding him, Tobi remembered something. It was very vague, but it was still something. It was a voice, sternly telling him that he was late. He couldn't attach the voice to a face or a setting, but for some odd reason, it made him think of the color silver.

Around the time that Tobi turned 29, Sasori, one of the Akatsuki members, died. Tobi made it his mission to find his ring, excited that he might finally be able to join. But when he did find it, Zetsu-san told him to not be foolish, because it wasn't that easy. Tobi had been disappointed, until Zetsu-san told him something that could get him into the Akatsuki for sure. He would have to capture or kill the infamous Copy Nin, Hatake Kakashi.

So that was why now, in a place somewhere in the Fire Country, Tobi is facing off against Kakashi. Really, it was a stupid idea, and he knew it. If this guy could beat Itachi-san, than why on earth did Tobi think that he stood a chance? He didn't know, and now, he was too busy trying to stay alive to care.

Strangely enough, weird things kept happening during the fight. Small little things would trickle into his mind, little whispers, memories. They were all triggered by Hatake; and what weird triggers they were.

First, it was the mask. Tobi had called out to Kakashi before he could stop himself, asking, "So what's under the mask that the genius doesn't want me to see?" Kakashi paused for just a moment, his eyes widening. Just then, Tobi felt one of those memories.

_"So what's under the mask that the genius doesn't want me to see?"_

_"Nothing, crybaby."_

_"Nothing? So you have no face?" Taunting…_

_"Shut up, idiot. You know what I mean." That voice is irritated. But that bastard was _always_ irritated so-_

With a jolt, Tobi was reminded of exactly where he was, being punched hard in the face by Kakashi. Tobi gritted his teeth and punched back, somehow able to hit the other man in the jaw. And then…

_Wham! "I definitely can't stand you!"_

_"Whether you hate me or not, I'm still your commander. You must obey my instructions. No matter what happens, if the team is scattered, there's only one leader. Therefore, you must follow the instructions of the commander…Obito, you haven't got any strength. Because of that-"_

Obito? But who was Obito? For some reason, it sounded extremely familiar to Tobi. But why…?

Tobi stopped thinking about it, instead choosing to use a jutsu. He didn't know _how_ he knew it, because he'd never been taught it by the Rock ninja, but nonetheless, it was a powerful jutsu.

"Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!" Kakashi had to move back after that, and Tobi was thankful for knowing the jutsu. But the look that Kakashi gave him after the fire was gone was one of shock and suspicion.

"Who are you?" Kakashi asked.

"Tobi," he answered.

"Take off that mask," Kakashi said, his narrowed eye on Tobi. Then, he raised his headband, and Tobi blinked in surprise when he saw Kakashi's left eye; it was the sharingan. He had heard about it, of course, but now that he was seeing it, he felt as though he'd been kicked in the gut.

_"It's…this sharingan…of mine. The people in the village…what they must have been saying…that you're…a great jounin…that's…how I feel…please accept it…"_

_"Rin…with your medical jutsu…please take out my sharingan…and implant it…into Kakashi's left eye…"_

Kakashi. So he'd known Kakashi…? Then maybe…Kakashi would know who he was.

"Fine! But you have to take yours off too," Tobi said. The silver-haired jounin hesitated, but then he replied.

"All right." Kakashi tugged down his mask, and Tobi's brow furrowed in concentration. This too seemed painfully familiar…

_"Whoa…so that's what your face looks like?"_

_"Yes."_

_Silence. Then, "Geez Kakashi, why would you hide a face like that? There's nothing wrong with it! And here I was, thinking that you maybe had buckteeth-"_

_"What?"_

_"-Or some nasty scar-"_

_"Obi-"_

_"-or a bunch of zits! And, well, you're not as handsome as _me_, but still, there's no reason to cover up!"_

_"Shut up. Geez, if I'd known that you were going to make such a big deal out of it, I never would've shown you. Idiot."_

"I held up my end of the bargain," came Kakashi's voice, breaking Tobi away from his memory. Tobi nodded and nonchalantly pulled off his own mask. It was interesting to watch Kakashi's reaction. He became very pale, and his expression was one of stunned disbelief.

"Obito?" Tobi blinked. Obito was the name he'd heard in that memory…was that who he was? Somehow, that seemed right.

"Am I Obito…?" he asked himself. "Is that who I am?" He walked over to Kakashi, who was still staring at him with a mixture of horror and incredulity.

"Please, I won't attack you," Tobi pleaded, keeping his hands where Kakashi could see them. "I want to know…no, I need to know everything about Obito. Tell me?" Tobi could tell that Kakashi was hesitant. Apparently, this Obito had been very important to him…and if Tobi was Obito, than Kakashi's reaction would make sense.

Finally, Kakashi told him the basics. Obito was, in fact, an Uchiha, and he was a ninja for Konohagakure. He died when he was thirteen (supposedly…).

"Who's Rin?" Tobi asked, taking in every bit of information, just as Zetsu-san had taught him. Obito was thirteen when he died…Tobi was thirteen when he _almost_ died in that rockslide…

"You know who Rin is?" Kakashi asked, startled.

"I don't know," Tobi answered honestly. Kakashi frowned, scrutinizing Tobi's face. Tobi knew he had a lot of scarring, especially on the right side, but instead of inquiring about the scars, Kakashi asked,

"Why is your eye closed like that?"

"Because I don't have one." Kakashi looked as though someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on him. It was then that Tobi realized that Kakashi's sharingan was in his _left_ eye, and that in one of those memories, someone had given Kakashi their sharingan…the one from their left eye. Tobi was missing his left eye, and even though _he_ didn't have the sharingan, Obito did. And if he was Obito, then…

"Tell me about Rin," Tobi insisted. Kakashi nodded, and did the same thing he'd done when he'd told him about Obito. He told her that she had been on his and Obito's team, that she had been a medical ninja, that she was also a Konoha ninja. Then, in a tone of uncertainty, Kakashi told him that Obito had had a crush on her; this particular bit of information struck Tobi.

_"Rin! Hey, Rin!"_

_"Hm? What is it, Obito?"_

_"Um…well, uh, it's Valentine's Day, so I thought, you know…um, here!"_

_A gasp of delight. "Oh, Obito…that's so sweet of you. But aren't these chocolates expensive?"_

_"Nah, not really." That was a lie, he'd saved up for nearly two months to buy them. But it was worth it when she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek._

_"Thank you."_

"Rin…" Tobi trailed off, letting go of a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Kakashi gave him a curious look, and Tobi shook his head. "I know I'm asking a lot, but could you tell me about you, too?"

"Yes," Kakashi answered hesitantly. "We were on the same team, like I said earlier. Obito and I…didn't get along so well. I was always scolding him for being late, and not following the rules-" Yes, Tobi thought, he remembered some of that. "- and he hated my attitude. We were friends though…in a strange way. Especially towards the end. Obito was the one who convinced me to help save Rin, but I was too late, and Obito…" Tobi brought a hand up to his head as it began to ache. He was starting to remember more, and not just in fragments this time.

"In the world of the ninja those who violate the rules and laws are called trash  
However... those who don't take care of their comrades are worse than trash," Tobi whispered. It was all coming to him, slowly but surely. The rockslide, how it started, going to save Rin, giving his sharingan to Kakashi….and things before that, too. The Christmas where sensei had gotten drunk and he and Kakashi had had to carry him home, the mission where Obito had gotten poison ivy and had to stay in the tent, where a sighing Rin had applied ointment to his back, neck, shoulders…

"I remember," Tobi murmured. "Everything…you, Rin, sensei, Konoha…and most importantly, I remember me. I'm Uchiha Obito." Tobi looked at Kakashi carefully, and the silver-haired man took in a sharp breath.

"Obito…?" His voice was barely above a whisper. Obito nodded, and he felt the tears in his eye welling up as they stared at each other.

"Long time no see, eh, Kakashi?" he choked out. What he got in response was Kakashi shifting close to him, then pulling him into a tight embrace. Obito started; he couldn't remember Kakashi ever hugging him, ever. He smiled and returned the hug. "Heh, are you gonna start crying on me now?"

"Look who's talking," Kakashi responded, his voice a little shaky. But when he pulled back a little, Obito noticed that the only eye crying was the sharingan.

"Aw, you must not have missed me that much if you won't even cry for me," Obito teased. Kakashi tried to glare at him, but he ended up doing a mix of laughing and sobbing.

"God, Obito…you're an idiot, as usual. I missed you so much…all of you. I visit the memorial every day when I'm in Konoha."

"All of us…?" Obito knew that their sensei was dead because of sealing the Kyuubi into that boy, but the way Kakashi said it… "I-Is Rin…?"

Kakashi nodded, sorrow entering his features. "I'm sorry, Obito. I tried to protect, but she…they needed her on the field and she…" A fresh wave of tears overtook Obito, and he let out a few sobs. He'd loved Rin, and she'd always been there…hearing that she was gone hurt him like nothing else. Kakashi allowed him to cry on his shoulder a little while longer, and then he told him in a gentle voice, "Come on, we need to get home. Tsunade will no doubt want an explanation as to why you've been gone for nearly fifteen years…" Obito nodded, wiping his tears away with his sleeve.

"Right. But why would Tsuna-?" Of course; Tsunade was the new Hokage. He'd known that…it was just hard to get used to, now that he remembered. When he'd known Tsunade, she had been very famous, but not a Hokage. "Never mind. How long will it take to get home?"

"Not long. A few hours if we hurry," Kakashi replied, pulling his mask back on. Obito smirked, clapping Kakashi on the shoulder.

"Heh, you know, you shouldn't be wearing that mask anymore. Seriously, how are you going to get a girl if you keep your face all covered up like that? I mean now you'll have an even harder job of getting them since I'll be back, but-"

"Oh really? With all those scars you think you'll attract a woman?" Kakashi said in amusement, pulling his hitai-ate down over the sharingan. Obito puffed out his chest, a confident look on his face.

"Of course. Scars only make me seem more manly, you know?" Kakashi chuckled, shaking his head.

"Whatever. Let's get going." Obito nodded, and the two began their trek back home.

Home, Obito reflected, smiling a little wider. It was really nice to have a home again.


End file.
